Northern Medical Services
University of Saskatchewan
Northern Medical Services
Northern Medical Services is a Division of the
Department of Family Medicine, University of
Saskatchewan.
It has a VISION of healthy northern
Saskatchewan communities with
a MISSION to improve the health and wellbeing of northern Saskatchewan residents
through disease prevention and treatment,
health promotion and health protection.
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Tripartite Organization
Health Canada
First Nations & Inuit Health Branch
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Health
Northern Relations Branch
College of Medicine
Department of Family Medicine
Saskatoon
Division
Regina
Division
Northern Medical
Services Division
Rural
Division
Research
Division
Emergency
Medicine
Division
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Organization
Although funded in a tripartite agreement
between the University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatchewan Health and First Nations and
Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada,
services are provided through a matrix of
relationships including Northern Regional
Health Authorities and the Departments of
Health of Tribal Councils and individual First
Nations.
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U of S
Col of Med
Athabasca Health
Northern Inter Tribal
DFM
Authority
Health Authority
Catholic Health
Prince Albert
Corp. St. Joseph’s
Grand Council
Hospital
Keewatin Yatthe
RHA
NMS
Peter Ballantyne
Cree Nation
Mamawetan Churchill
Lac La Ronge
River RHA
Band
Sask. Health
Meadow Lake
Northern Relations Health Canada
Tribal Council
Branch
First Nations
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& Inuit Health Branch
Federal Health Transfer
1st Level: CHR/CHE’s, NNADAP and related
programs.
2nd Level: RN’s, PCN’s, Community Health
and Clinic programs (1992)
3rd Level: NITHA Infrastructure development,
CHSSU, MHO, Research, IT, Recruitment &
Retention, Continuing Professional
Development, TB Surveillance
Athabasca Health Authority Transfer 2003.
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Provincial Health Transfer
Health District formation (1992) retained
Northern Health Services Branch
Northern Health Districts formed in 1998
Development of Athabasca Unanimous
Members Agreement
Northern RHA’s retained in 1992
restructuring.
Athabasca Health Authority transfer 2003.
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Mandate & Roles
Primary Medical Care
& Health Promotion
Education
FMR’s, Med Students
CME, CNE
Research &
Development
Consultant Care
Clinics & Referral
Population Health
MHO
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Clinical Services
4 MD’s serve the Athabasca; Fond du Lac,
Stony Rapids & Black Lake from Stony Rapids
(1984).
11 MD’s and a PCN serve MCRRHA; Wollaston
Lake, Southend, Stanley Mission & Pinehouse
Lake from La Ronge (1997).
6 MD’s serve KYRHA; Buffalo Narrows, Dillon,
Patuanak & Beauval from Ile a la Crosse
(1984).
1 MHO directs a co-managed provincial
Population Health Unit.
152 Itinerant Consultant Clinics with 21
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specialists.
Functional Organization
Ile a la Crosse
6 MD’s
Education
Athabasca
4 MD’s
Saskatoon
Administration
Research
Development
Population Health
1 MHO
La Ronge
11 MD’s
1 PCN
Itinerant
Consultants
>150 Clinics
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Development with Research
Aboriginal health concerns, philosophy &
community dynamics must be incorporated
into the research process in order for it to be
successful. The relationships & processes
developed are therefore intrinsic to the
research & an outcome in & of itself.
Research findings & data are owned jointly by
the people. Subsequent publication or
release requires active involvement &
consultation.
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Research Projects 1
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening:
A Comparison Between Direct
Ophthalmoscopy and Digital Retinal
Photography (2002) TL
Enhancing Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
with Community Based Digital Retinal
Photography (2003) TL
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Health Transfer
Evaluation: Phase I & II (2002) PB
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Medical
Services Review (1999) PB
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Research Projects 2
Audit of Existing Data on Northern Medical
Services’ Clinical Positions, 1985-present.
Primary Health Services: Cross-Cultural
Learning and Applications between Northern
Saskatchewan and Southern India
The Management of Diabetic Foot
Complications in Northern Saskatchewan
(2000) PB
Report on the Dorsett and Postl Review of
Northern Medical Services. (2001) PB
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Research Projects 3
Twenty Year Review of Cancer Statistics in
Northern Saskatchewan. JI
Northern Saskatchewan Hospitalization Data
1985-1995. JI
Risk Factors for MRSA and Antibiotic
Resistance Development. JI
Determining Factors to Improve HIV/AIDS
Support Structures in Northern Saskatchewan
Aboriginal Communities. JI
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Research Projects 4
Health Status Reports for the Mamawetan
Churchill River RHA, Keewatin Yatthe RHA &
Athabasca Health Authority. JI
The Availability & Cost of a Standardized
Food Basket in Northern Saskatchewan. JI
Pediatric Ambulatory Sensitive
Hospitalizations in Northern Saskatchewan.
JI
HHH Syndrome. JI
Kids First North and Infant Mortality and
Morbidity Needs Assessment. JI
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Research Projects 5
Breast Cancer Screening in Northern
Saskatchewan. JI
Impact of Natural Radionuclides in Diet on
Chromosomes.
Uranium Mine Workers’ Epidemiological
Study.
Moose Radionuclide and Heavy Metal
Survey.
Abandoned Mines Study JI
The Health Impact and Mitigation of Tailings
Dust: Assessment and Mathematical
Modeling. JI
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Development Projects 1
Primary Health Services: Integration &
Evaluation (1999)
Integrated Provincial & Federal
Evidence Based ACN / PCN Formulary
CDA CPG Diabetes Tracking Sheets
(2000)
Formalized Aboriginal Health Research
Ethical Guidelines for Northern
Saskatchewan
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Development Projects 2
Facilitation of the Northern Inter-Tribal Health
Authority Community Health Status and
Surveillance Unit (1997)
Ile a la Crosse CHDP’s
Facilitation of a CIHR Indigenous Peoples’
Health Research Centre (2002)
Northern Health Strategy: An integrated
Federal / Tribal / Regional / Provincial
Northern Health Forum (JI)
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Development Projects 3
Northern Diabetes Prevention Coalition. JI
Needle Exchange Programs: Ile a la Crosse
& La Loche. JI
Forest Fire Preparedness: Staged
Community Evacuation. JI
Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat &
Uranium Development Monitoring. JI
Community Vitality Monitoring Partnership JI
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Education
FMR I & II’s obtain northern Family
Medicine training with CCFP preceptors
at either Ile a la Crosse or La Ronge.
Medical Students have access to all
three sites; Stony Rapids, La Ronge or
Ile a la Crosse.
CNE or nurse training is provided to
ACN graduates or students in cooperation with the health districts or
tribal councils.
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The Future
The transfer of increasing responsibility for
health services, programs and development
proceeds both federally to First Nations &
provincially to northern regional health
boards.
Increasing levels of cooperation and
integration between federal, tribal, provincial
and regional health services through the
Northern Health Strategy.
Northern Medical Services will play a
facilitative role in the development and
delivery of medical & health services.
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The Future 2
University affiliation with access to specific
academic, technical, intellectual & research
resources will 1) support, not drive,
development with research and 2) provide
enhanced levels of distributive teaching.
The real challenge is finding neutral ground;
that point of balance where not only
competing but sometimes disparate, if not
contradictory, perspectives can coexist in a
functional paradox.
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